Coat and hat rack



(No Model.)

P. WESTWOOD.

GOAT AND HAT RACK. No. 350,789. Patented Oct. 12, 1886.

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UN ITED STATES PATENT Qrrrcn.

FELIX VESTVOOD, OF \VHEELING, VEST VIRGINTA.

COAT AND HAT RACK.

ESPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,789, dated October 12, 1886.

Application filed January .20, 1856.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FELIX WEs'rwooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Im provements in Coat and Hat Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved rack for hats, coats, and other clothing, or for tow els and like articles, said rack being of that class in which a series of vertically-swinging pegs are pivoted in a supporting-frame and weighted at their lower ends, so as to be capable of returning automatically to a vertical position when the suspended article is removed.

My invention consists of a hat and coat rack embodying the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter particularlydescribed and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved rack. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is atransverse Vertical section showing the swinging pegs in a normal vertical position. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing one of the pegs swung downward and outward in the position it occupies when an article is suspended therefrom.

The rack-frame Ais composed of top and bottom strips or moldings, a a and end strips or moldings, b b. These moldings are rabbeted on their rear sides, and when connected form a casing or frame, in which are secured the vertical panel-pieces B B, that are interspaced as shown.

In the vertical spaces or slots 0, formed by the panelpieces B B, are pivoted the vertically-swinging arms or hooks O C. These arms or hooks C C have weights D D secured to the rear sides of their lower ends, and are so fulerumed on their pivots d as to assume always a vertical position within the slots 0 and flush with the panels B when not held in an out ward-projecting position by the weight of attached articles.

To the rear side of the panel-pieces B, and slightly above the pivotal line of the swinging hooks O, is secured a transverse bar, E, which serves as a stop to limit the upward movement of the rear ends of the said hooks when they are turned outward. This stop-bar E is Serial No. 189,106. (No model.)

so located with relation to the pivots d as to prevent the hooks from being turned to a horizontal position, the object being to maintain and brace them in an inclined position when in use, so that the attached articles will not be liable to slip off from the ends of the pegs. It will thus be observed that when the pegs are in use they project in an inclined direction from the frame, as shown in Fig. 4 and by dotted lines in Fig. 1, being held in this position by the weight of the suspended article causing the rear end of the peg or its weightD to bear against the under side of the stop-bar E. On removing the suspended article from the hook or arm 0 the weight D at its rear or lower end causes said arm to swing on its pivot d and return instantly to a vertical position within the slot or opening 0, where the arm thenhangs with its flat under side flush with the faces of the panel-pieees B,being supported also at the back by the front face of the stop-bar.

It will be observed that while the under or outer sides of the arms 0 are made flat, so as to be uniform with the panel-pieces B when occupying a vertical position, their upper or inner faces are curved or rounded to afford a smooth support for attached articles and avoid any liability of chafing or tearing them with sharp edges.

The vertical slots c,in which the arms 0 are pivoted, are of such length as to afford a sufficient space above each arm to permit entrance of the finger to draw the end of the arm down and outward when it is required for use. The arms 0 may also be projeeted or turned outward for use by simply pressing their lower ends inward.

The frame A may be braced at the top by a transverse bar or strip, 0, and at the lower corners by blocks f,or otherwise. This raekframe is to be suspended against a wall by means of screw-eyes g g engaging hooks h h,- or it can be hung by means of a cord, wire, or other devices, as convenient. It will be seen that when the rack is in position the arms 0, if not in use, are altogether inclosed by the frame, and are therefore entirely out of the way, while being readily accessible whenever required.

If desired, the frame A may be made sufficiently large to support two or more rows of ICC hooks or arms 0, so as to have ample capacity without occupying much space.

I am aware that a rack for clothes, towels, and the like has heretofore been made with a vertical frame or'block and a hollow forwardprojecting base provided with a series of radial slots, a series of arms being pivoted within said slots and provided at their lower ends with weights, which also serve as stops, each arm having two bracing or supporting points in said slotted base. This, however, I do not claim.

What I claim as my invention is A clothes-rack composed of a rectangular frame or casing consisting of the rabbeted moldings a a and b b, the panels B B, secured in said frame and interspaced to form vertical \Vitnesses:

FRANK FARIS, J OHN F. ST. MYERS. 

